Therapeutic angioplasty balloons for treatment of peripheral artery disease Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) results from narrowing of the peripheral arteries that supply oxygenated blood and nutrients to the legs and feet has affected an increasingly large population, especially the elderly in the United States. Current interventions using stents and drug-eluting stents have low clinical outcomes and associated with several limitations, including impaired vascular healing and high rates of late thrombosis and restenosis. So, in this work our objective is to develop novel therapeutic angioplasty balloons as an alternative therapy to treat PAD. Angioplasty balloons are modified to locally deliver vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) loaded photoluminescent microscaffolds (PLMs) that would reduce platelet interaction with injured blood vessel as well as support the capture and growth of progenitor cells from circulation for faster endothelial regeneration. To reach our goal, three specific aims are proposed: (1) synthesize and characterize multifunctional PLMs for their properties in vitro, (2) develop and optimize coating techniques to formulate bFGF-PLM- and VEGF-eluting angioplasty balloons, and (3) determine the effectiveness of multifunctional PLM- and VEGF-eluting angioplasty balloons to treat PAD in vivo. The main aspects of our system are that it facilitates vascular healing through the unique strategy of (1) not permitting immune cells, especially platelets, to engage with the injured arterial wall; (2) capturing progenitor cells in circulation; and (3) supporting growth of host and progenitor cells as well as differentiation of progenitor cells to endothelial cells. Furthermore, our strategy of using angioplasty balloons to deliver therapeutics while performing endovascular intervention is also new as this ?aim and shoot? strategy would provide both an immediate treatment for PAD patients from balloon angioplasty and a prolonged therapeutic intervention to facilitate vessel healing and growth in situ. If successful, results from this research project might bring a significant improvement in the treatment of PAD and should generate high impacts in the vascular disease field. Under this fellowship program, I will focus my training efforts on four areas critical to my success with future independent funding: (1) the development of in vivo model and understanding safe practices of vascular interventions, (2) strengthen background in nanotechnology and treatment of atherosclerosis, (3) build a strong analytical and technical skill set and (4) establish multi-disciplinary collaboration and relationship with clinical scientists and researchers. The project proposed in this application and my team of sponsor and co-sponsor will provide me with this focused, trans-disciplinary expertise. Furthermore, the University of Texas at Arlington offer well-established Biomedical engineering program and have all necessary facilities and resources to support my career advancement as well as to conduct proposed work.